Top spot goes to Edwards woman for cookie recipe

Becky Cohen, right, and Sarah Braucht, center, hand out hundreds of Braucht's snickerdoodle cookies at last year's cookie competition at Beaver Creek. Finalists make a 1,000 cookies to serve on Nov. 26, Opening Day, and the hungry public will decide which is the best cookie.

Michelle Wolffe, left and Kyla Wolffe, 9, join the rest of the official judging board in tasting each of thefinal five cookies at the 2013 World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Competition at Beaver Creek.

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BEAVER CREEK — After a great morning of skiing and snowboarding at Beaver Creek’s Opening Day, the resort’s tenth annual World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Competition kicked off at 2 p.m. in the village. Five finalists served 5,000 freshly baked cookies, and Opening Day skiers and riders had the opportunity to sample them all and vote for their favorite.

Beaver Creek Resort Co. officials announced that Nancy Johnson, from Edwards, and her “Best Ever Chocolate Chippers” cookies as the winner of the 2013-14 World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Competition. Johnson’s recipe will serve as the resort’s official cookie recipe for the season. Johnson, along with four other finalists, baked 1,000 cookies each which were quickly consumed by guests during the annual contest. This annual tradition is one of several Opening Week activities taking place in the village.

Cookie masters submitted their entries and the top five finalists were chosen on Nov. 6 to bake their creations for Opening Day at Beaver Creek. The top five cookie finalists include Scott Conklin, of Avon; Nancy Johnson, of Edwards; Shell Haley, of Avon; Ariel Levitt, of Westminster; and Sarah Braucht, of Eagle. The Wolffe, Troff and Hornbostel families served as the official judging panel for the competition and received judging honors through Beaver Creek’s Facebook page, where they submitted their top 10 reasons and qualifications for being cookie judges. The World’s Best Cookie Competition winner received $1,000; second place was awarded $500; and third place received $250. Fourth place received two four-pack tickets to any performance at the Vilar Performing Arts Center and fifth place received two tickets to the U2 tribute band.

At 3 p.m. every day, Cookie Time Chefs greet skiers and snowboarders at the foot of the slopes with warm chocolate chip cookies. Nearly 500,000 cookies are served each season.